New Delhi: The Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry is working hard to collect its accolades as it now aims to provide a credible and interference free system to appoint Vice-Chancellors of universities.

The ministry has now drafted provisions in a new legislation, which aims to bring in structural changes in the higher education sector.

The Draft Bill proposes the creation of National Commission for Higher Education and Research (NCHER), which will maintain a national record of those eligible candidates who stand a chance of being appointed as a Vice Chancellor or even heads of educational institutes.

Subsuming all other existing regulators like the University Grants Commission (UGC) and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), NCHER will be an overarching body.

According to the Draft Bill, which is based on the recommendations of a high-powered task force, normally the government appoints a search committee to identify and recommends names for appointment of VCs. However, this process involves a lot of political influence, so in order to simplify and ensure transparency the Commission will simply recommend a set of five names from the national registry - one of whom will be appointed as a VC.

Arjun Singh, predecessor of the present HRD minister Kapil Sibal in UPA I was involved into a controversy upon appointing VCs for the 14 newly established central universities just when the Lok Sabha elections were knocking the doors. Many of these appointments were looked down upon having political apertures.

The Prime Minister-backed National Knowledge Commission (NKC) and the Prof Yashpal-led Committee report on Rejuvenation of Higher Education recommended sans political appointments for the VCs.

Apart from the VC appointments, the Bill also has in store a legislation for every new university/institute that before they begin with their first academic session they must be accredited.

The norms and guidelines for accreditation will be provided by the NCHER.

The Commission itself will comprise of seven members on Board and a Chairman -- all of them appointed by the President of India on the recommendations of a selection committee that will be headed by the Prime Minister.